Tag Archives: Wollongong

A few days ago I came across an article on the Sardinian online magazine “La nuova Sardegna“, telling a story that put in very close relation “my two islands” – that is Sardinia and Australia – in an unexpected and touching way.

I read about the now teenager girl Gabriella Scanu, Australian by nationality and Sardinian by origin, who was born “accidentally” in Sassari (note: in North Sardinia) while her parents were on holiday in Sardinia.

The birth happened prematurely in May 2006 while her mom Jacqueline and dad Nando were not far from the San Pietro’s Clinic, where the two co-stars of this fairy tale worked: the pediatric surgeon Ninni Dessanti and the neonatologist Fernando Cossu.

Born with a serious malformation to her digestive system, the baby was saved by an urgent operation successfully carried out by the two doctors.

Ten years after, in July 2016, the girl’s longest wish was granted: her parents took her back to Sassari. Once there, she met her heroes again and presented them with very special (and very Aussie!) talismans: a couple of koala plushies!

Teenager Gabriella lives in Wollongong, NSW. Despite a “bad start”, she has always been perfectly healthy. She now plans her next trip to Sardinia: whenever she would have children, she will take them on a trip to the city that holds her heart!